


Bodies On Fire

by TaikoTurtle



Series: Feel The Heat [2]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: But just fair warning, Established Relationship, F/F, Mostly Fluff, a day in the life, because they're both little shits, but the M is there for the very end, but they love each other so much, it's not super explicit I don't think, trimberly - Freeform, trimberly loves to tease each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 10:53:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11484876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaikoTurtle/pseuds/TaikoTurtle
Summary: A day in the life of Kimberly and Trini, power couple extraordinaire and adorably sarcastic shits.3 separate vignettes into their dating life, including a gym day, amusement park, and of course an obligatory one-on-one training session, because who doesn't like it when things get a little physical?





	Bodies On Fire

**Author's Note:**

> So this is intended to be a sequel to Falling Like Icarus, but I guess it can be read as a stand alone fic as well. Enjoy!

The best part about dating Trini isn’t the fact that she has a witty, sarcastic sense of humor that can put a person in their place in five seconds flat, or the fact that every time she smiles it’s like basking in warm comforting rays of sunlight on a perfect summer afternoon.

It’s not the fact that her infectious laughter could brighten the darkest of nights, or the fact that somehow in that tiny body of hers behind the lone wolf, tough girl facade, she manages to hold one of the biggest hearts Kimberly has ever known.

No, the best part about dating Trini is that there _is_ no best part.

With each passing day, Kimberly discovers something new about her and every fascinating detail, every small adorable quirk, makes her fall more and more in love.

It hits her throughout random parts of the day in short, powerful, and unexpected bursts. Trini could be doing something as mundane as eating ice cream, cracking a joke at Zack’s expense, or even lacing their fingers together in a stolen quiet moment, but Kimberly thinks to herself, _damn, I want to spend my whole life with this girl._

And it scares her sometimes because she knows that when things are going well, that’s exactly when life loves to fuck shit up - it just seems to be the natural law of the universe. If she’s this happy, then there has to be an equal amount of unhappy somewhere else. You know, equivalent exchange and all that junk.

Except science has never been Kimberly’s strongest subject, so she chooses to enjoy and appreciate what she has in the moment so as not to get bogged down by the inane fear of what ifs.

And with Trini, there is _much_ to appreciate.

“Got your head in the clouds again, princess?”

Trini’s voice snaps Kimberly out of her thoughts and grounds her back in reality, although with Trini standing several feet in front of her wearing nothing but a deep yellow sports bra and black shorts, it feels like heaven more than anything.

She has her hands on her hips with a thin layer of perspiration covering her skin resulting in her chest glistening with every deep breath and Kimberly honestly feels like she’s never been so blessed before.

Thank God for gym days.

“Nah,” Kimberly retorts, “I was just thinking that with your tiny little legs, you’re going to need a head start.”

“We’re just doing laps, it’s not a race.”

“Well why not? How about last one to finish ten laps owes the other a dinner of their choice, deal?”

Trini laughs and shakes her head humorously. “Always gotta be a competition with you, doesn’t it?”

“Of course.” Kimberly saunters on up to Trini and grins. “But let’s be real, we all know I’m going to win because I’m the better runner.”

Confidently raising up her chin, Trini narrows her eyes to challenge her back. “You’re going to eat those words soon enough.”

Leaning in close, Kimberly’s breath is hot on her skin as she whispers coyly into Trini’s ear.

“I’d rather eat something else.”

She pulls back and winks at the smaller girl and between Trini’s dumbfounded, wide-eyed expression and the furious blush betraying her flustered embarrassment, she looks positively petrified on the spot. Kimberly revels the fact that she can elicit such a visceral reaction out of her and after blowing her a kiss, she dashes off to start the race around the track.

Trini, still reeling from Kimberly’s words, blinks rapidly and shakes her head before shouting after her. “Hey, what happened to my head start?”

“All bets are off when food is on the line.”

Kicking it into high gear, Trini starts sprinting to make up for lost ground, but she knows she’s at a disadvantage now. Shaking her fist in the air she calls out to Kimberly while ignoring the odd looks from the other gym goers around them.

“You fight dirty!”

Kimberly laughs in response. “Thought you already figured that out from the first time we met!”

Trini grumbles to herself before pumping her arms in an attempt to will her body to go faster. They dash around the track at a blistering pace but Trini knows when she’s beat. The physical augmentations from their Ranger powers only go so far and coupled with the cheap head start she ends up finishing a good ten seconds behind Kimberly.

“And the Pink Ranger wins!” Kimberly throws her arms up and cheers like a stadium announcer. “The crowd goes wild! Woo! Alright! Kimberly’s the queen!”

“Yeah, yeah, big woop.” Trini brings her hands up behind her head to facilitate air flow to her lungs and walks around to regain her breath. “Cheaters never prosper.”

“All’s fair in love and war and I think you owe me a dinner now.”

“Fine,” Trini says as they head over to grab their towels and water bottles. “I’ll take you on a romantic dinner date to McDonald’s.”

“You’re a terrible girlfriend.”

“Thanks, I try.”

Kimberly punches her in the shoulder jokingly before wrapping her arm around Trini’s shoulders and pulling her in close as they walk towards the free weights section of the gym.

Girlfriend has a nice ring to it.

It’s only been two and a half months since the ordeal with Lord Zedd which prompted them to start dating, but Kimberly thinks she’ll never tire of saying that word out loud. Even though her life is still in its early stages and the frightening prospect of an uncertain future looms overhead, the one thing that she knows will be a constant is the bond that she shares with Trini.

Kimberly doesn’t know why it took her so long to admit how much she cares for her, or why it took a near death experience to finally lay her heart out on the line, but what matters is that they’re together now and she doesn’t want to waste any more time.

“Dude, no hugs. I’m totally sweaty right now.” Trini protests against the contact, her body wriggling in a weak attempt to escape Kimberly’s grasp, but the broad smile on her face says otherwise.

Shrugging lightly, Kimberly hums in a lilting playful manner, “I dunno - I kind of like you when you’re wet.”

Trini chokes on air and Kimberly bursts into a boisterous laugh as the smaller girl tries to regain her composure.

“You make this way too easy,” Kimberly wheezes out in between gasps of air. “C’mon, you can spot me at the bench press."

“You’re going to be the death of me one day,” Trini says as they set up at an unoccupied bench.

“At least you’ll die happy then.” Kimberly wipes down the bar and seat with a clean paper towel. There’s nothing she hates more than sweaty, slightly odorous equipment.

The only downside to using public gyms are the clientele, which can range vastly depending on which city they go to. Today unfortunately, some of the skeeviest people she’s ever seen decided to show up.

Kimberly tries her best to ignore the looks that the guys in the vicinity throw their way, like they’re just ignorant strangers in a foreign land, as she grabs some of the weights and starts loading them up onto the bar.

Sitting down on the bench, Kimberly preps herself by doing a couple of quick stretches even though her muscles are still somewhat warm from their earlier jog. Her eyes scan the area so she can get a good read on the guys around them as she pulls her arms across her chest alternately.

“Something the matter?” Trini asks after taking a large gulp from her water bottle.

“No, not really,” Kimberly replies hesitantly. “Just… surveying our surroundings.”

Trini’s gaze flickers behind Kimberly and her brow furrows into a wary frown. “Well I think a guy just surveyed you.”

“What?” Kimberly’s eyes widen with surprise but the warning had come too late.

“Wow, looks pretty heavy. You sure you can lift that?”

His voice is cheerful and inviting but it’s laced with an underlying air of condescension that makes his words feel fake and contrived.

Kimberly turns around and finds herself staring up at a tall, well-built stranger in his early twenties. Like the many guys currently surrounding them in the free weights section, his brunette hair features a fade on both sides that comes up into a mid-length cut combed backwards. With his baggy basketball shorts and oversized tank top with the sides cut down far enough to expose his abs, Kimberly groans internally and knows this isn’t going to end well.

Perhaps a couple years ago he might’ve been her type. His five o’clock shadow helps frame his defined jaw and he’s by no means an unattractive person, but the past is in the past and right now he’s nothing more than a nuisance that needs to leave them alone.

“I put the weights on here, so yeah, I’m pretty sure I can lift it.” Her voice is dripping with sarcasm, but the guy doesn’t seem to take the hint and he circles around to the head of the bench. He crosses his arms on the bar and leans forward, clearly intent on sticking around.

“How about a spotter? I wouldn’t want you to crush your beautiful face.”

Narrowing her eyes dangerously Trini growls, “She’s got one already.”

Taken aback by the outburst, the guy gives her a curious once over before chuckling derisively at her much smaller frame. He turns his attention back to Kimberly and clears his throat.

“As I was saying, I could spot you for a few reps and maybe once we’re done here, you and I could go out for some dinner this evening?”

Trini scowls and takes an aggressive step forward, “What part of _she’s got one already_ don’t you under--”

“Trini it’s okay.” Kimberly interrupts calmly and for a split moment hurt flashes in Trini’s confused eyes. “If this guy wants a date, then by all means he should be rewarded for his effort. I mean, it took guts to come over here and ask me out, right?”

The guy nods in agreement and eagerly whips out his phone, but before he can go any further Kimberly sticks up her hand and wags a finger at him.

“On one condition.”

He falters for a second and stares at her oddly. “Sure I guess, you name it.”

“You have to out bench press me.”

Kimberly smiles innocently and out of the corner of her eye she catches the growing smirk on Trini’s face because the unsuspecting guy looks like he struck the jackpot with this seemingly easy request.

“That’s it? Well, you’re on. I hope you like Italian. Oh, and by the way, the name’s Kyle. ”

Relaxing down into position, Kimberly gets ready for the first set. “I have a feeling you won’t need to know mine.”

The starting weights are small - barely sixty pounds including the bar - so it’s easy enough for both of them. Other onlookers watch as the two trade places in doing their sets, each time adding another ten pounds to the mix.

Trini stands at the head and spots them both. Whenever it’s Kimberly’s turn they gaze into each other’s eyes and share a knowing look that makes them both nearly laugh because they know this guy is destined to be humiliated in front of an audience.

Having super strength thanks to their Ranger powers has its perks, even if it’s occasionally exploiting them for shits and giggles. She knows this goes against Zordon’s rules and she’s sure it has something to do with letting power get to one’s head or some precautionary warning like that, but hey - what Zordon doesn’t know, won’t hurt him.

The minutes pass by and Kyle’s tank top gets soaked through with sweat as he nervously watches Kimberly place another ten pounds onto the bar. His eyes dart from the bench to Kimberly and he scratches his head in bafflement because how can someone this petite not show any signs of fatigue?

A few more reps in and the total weight climbs to a hefty 225 pounds. Proportionately, Kimberly already has him beat. He knows it, Trini knows it, hell, the entire crowd that has gathered around them knows it.

People whisper and snicker and on Kyle’s last set of reps, despite gritting his teeth and grunting disgustingly, his arms give out and he nearly drops everything onto his neck. Trini catches the bar with ease and places it back into the resting position for him, an action which garners even more looks of surprise because of her tinier stature.

Kimberly cracks her knuckles and effortlessly completes her set to seal the deal, upon which the crowd erupts in exuberant cheers and Kyle shakes his head in utter disbelief.

“Unbelievable,” he spits out angrily, “you must have rigged this somehow. There’s no way in hell you can bench more than me.”

Gathering up her towel and water bottle, Kimberly brushes him off. “A deal’s a deal. Better luck next time.”

They make their way towards the exit but the guy forcefully grabs Kimberly’s shoulder. “Don’t walk away from me you cheating whore, you owe me a dinn--”

_WHAP!_

Trini’s fist collides with his stomach sending the guy doubled over to the ground in pain, wheezing haggardly for air thanks to the wind being knocked out of his lungs. She towers over his crumpled form and snarls.

“She doesn’t owe you _shit_.”

She laces her fingers with Kimberly’s and they walk out of the gym hand in hand, leaving the creep gasping and groaning alone on the ground. No one in the crowd takes pity on him after hearing the toxic words that spilled from his mouth, so they disperse and let the guy recover on his own.

After exiting through the double doors, Kimberly bursts into raucous laughter as they near her sedan. The gunmetal paint is chipping in places and it’s definitely seen better days, but for her first used car it gets her from point “A” to point “B” and that’s all that really matters.

Kimberly leans her back against the side of the car and pulls Trini into a close embrace, her arms wrapping loosely around her waist.

“That was pretty badass of you back there.”

Trini gazes up into her eyes and flashes a crooked grin. “Yeah? Maybe I should punch people more often.”

“Please don’t,” Kimberly chuckles light heartedly, “Angel Grove only has so many gyms.”

“I know, I know, but I didn’t like what he called you back there. It just sort of… happened.”

Memories of the previous year and the various colorful words that decorated their lockers resurfaced in Kimberly’s mind. At the time they stung like a bitch. They were like splinters jamming into her skin in all directions and no matter how much she thought she pulled them out, the pain still persisted. The sentiment of Trini ripping off her locker whenever new words surfaced was endearing, but it never completely erased the insults that clung to her like a second shadow.

But forming these powerful bonds with the other Rangers helped her through the ordeal in more ways than one.

Not only did she gain a second family, it also brought her and Trini together, which is why she’s never regretted becoming a Ranger in spite of its dangers and also why she’s standing here in a parking lot with a sappy smile and a full heart.

Swept up in the moment, Kimberly leans in close and captures Trini’s lips with her own. It’s sweet and chaste and filled with the love that’s been blooming in her soul and carefully nurtured by affection. It’s patient and tender in a way that begets more feelings of fond adoration so immeasurably vast that she feels weak in the knees beneath the weight of its impact.

From the familiar taste of her soft lips to the way their bodies fit so naturally together, for the first time in a long time, Kimberly feels perfectly at peace. There’s nowhere else she’d rather be, and no one else she’d rather be with, than the small, feisty girl leaning into her arms right now.

Trini smiles into the kiss and her nose rests against Kimberly’s as she pulls back a fraction of an inch. “What was that for? Not that I’m complaining.”

“Nothing, it’s just… I’m glad I have you in my life.”

Sighing contently, Trini looks into her eyes, her voice a quiet whisper. “You have me forever, if you want.”

Kimberly draws her in close and kisses her once more.

“Always.”

 

* * *

 

“You sure you’re tall enough to ride this?”

“Har har, like I haven’t heard that one before, Zack.”

Trini socks him in the arm as the gang waits by the line’s entrance to the amusement park’s largest roller coaster.

It’s a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon and though the heat makes walking around somewhat of a chore and the lines are long thanks to it being a weekend, the Rangers tough it out together because days off from training are few and far between.

“Are we going on or not?” Tommy asks as she shields her eyes from the sun while surveying the tallest drop near the beginning of the ride. Screams echo in the distance with each new line of carts that tip over the edge of the peak and plummet down to their doom.

“I don’t know,” Zack jokes, “does Trini need a booster seat?”

“I will fucking wreck you--”

“Hey, hey, _language_ ,” Billy interjects calmly. “There are kids at this park too.”

“And they’re about to witness their first murder,” Trini grumbles in the most threatening tone she can muster.

“Only if you can catch me with your tiny hobbit hands.” Zack walks through the entrance and turns around, casting them an inviting look. “Come on everyone, let’s go! But I call dibs on the front.”

Tommy runs after him excitedly. “I want the front too! Looks like we’re seat buddies.”

They high five like a pair of childish fiends as the rest of the group follows close behind. The line is rather short and estimated to be about a five minute wait, but given that the daunting ride features one of the largest drops on the west coast it makes complete sense.

After zig zagging through empty snaking lines with a jungle-themed ambience to heighten the mood, they reach the loading zone for the carts. Decked out in dirtied explorer outfits à la Indiana Jones, the ride attendants remain in character while addressing the park guests.

“Welcome to Goliath,” one of the operators announces in an ominous tone. “We wish you the best of luck on your expedition because rumor has it that not a single person has made it back alive.”

He pauses for dramatic effect before shouting into the comm. “Safety check!”

The other workers methodically flash him a thumbs up, indicating that their section of carts are good to go, and within seconds the riders exit the station to begin their long ascent.

All the Rangers shuffle into position behind the yellow gates as the other people load into the next waiting carts.

“Alright, we’re up next!” Zack rubs his hands together with anticipation and grins. “I heard it’s so intense that people black out on this ride.”

“That’s not true,” Jason replies before turning and whispering anxiously to Billy. “...that’s not true, right?”

Billy shrugs and Jason gulps visibly.

Trini claps him on the shoulder heartily. “Oh c’mon fearless leader. We pilot Zords on a weekly basis. I’m sure a tiny roller coaster like this is nothing.”

Jason groans in response and they all share a laugh at his expense except for Kimberly. There are butterflies flapping in her stomach and she can’t help the trembling in her hands or the clamminess in her palms. Unfortunately for her, since she’s holding hands with Trini, the smaller girl notices almost immediately.

“You too?” she whispers dubiously under her breath.

Kimberly nods weakly. “I uh-- I had a mild fear of roller coasters as a kid.”

“But you’re a Power Ranger now and you pilot a _flying pterodactyl_.”

“I know that, but it still doesn’t erase a bad childhood memory!”

The next row of carts leave the station and the yellow safety gates swing open granting the Rangers access to the loading zone. Zack hollers loudly as they all settle down into their seats, his excitement equally reflected by an eager Billy and Tommy.

“Did you know that this ride is classified as a hypercoaster and has a drop that exceeds the coaster’s actual height?” Billy buckles up his safety belt before lowering the lap restraints, all the while spewing out more facts that he had researched beforehand. “That means it has one of the fastest and longest drops!”

Jason looks like he’s getting paler by the second as he triple checks his own lap bar. “How can something possibly have a bigger drop than the ride itself?”

“It goes underground at the bottom,” Billy states in a matter-of-fact tone, “did you not see the tunnel while we were walking through the line?”

“Oh boy.” Jason exhales nervously and clutches on for dear life.

Static crackles through the overhead comm system and the ride attendant’s voice booms loudly for all the guests to hear.

“Hello brave adventurers! Welcome to your impending doom. Keep your arms and legs in the ride at all times and oh--” The other workers flash him the thumbs up and the ride hisses to life as the carts lurch forward, the guy’s voice trailing off behind them. “...try not to die.”

Turning the initial corner, they begin their ascent to the top of the first drop.

_Click..._

_Click..._

_Click..._

It’s agonizingly slow and it gives Kimberly far too much time to think. She makes the mistake of looking around, and while the view of the entire park is irrefutably breathless, the sheer height at which they keep climbing makes her want to throw up.

At least in her Zord she has a full suit of armor and the reassurance of a sealed, reinforced cockpit.

_Click..._

_Click..._

_Click..._

Who in their right mind thought it would be a good idea to make a ride this huge? Of course leave it to human beings to want to challenge their limits and push entertainment to ridiculous extremes until they’re teetering on the edge of insanity.

The sun beats down overhead and Kimberly feels her throat dry up. Flashbacks to when she was a kid constricts her chest and seizes her breath.

There’s no escape.

It’s too late to turn back.

What was she _thinking?_

_Click…_

_Click…_

_Click..._

She’s breathing in small rapid bursts but before the panic can take root, Trini’s hand squeezes her own and the stifling, blurry haze dissipates.

“Hey, I got you.” Trini smiles while Kimberly bobs her head up and down in silent affirmation. “You’re not gonna die.”

Kimberly shuts her eyes as the ride almost crawls to a halt. It’s an odd, quiet stillness, like the calm before a storm, except she knows exactly what’s coming next and the terror in her chest intensifies. “Somehow, I don’t believe you.”

Trini’s smile turns wicked as the carts slowly tip over the edge and she can feel her body begin to lean forward. Riding in the front makes the first drop the worst since pulling the weight of the other cars behind you means you get the best unobstructed view of the fall for the longest period of time.

And then her body feels weightless.

Is this what it’s like to die?

Her heart shoots into her throat as her insides flip and implode, and by the time they’re blasting through the dark tunnel at the bottom of the drop, Kimberly registers that the screams she hears buzzing in her head are actually her own.

Wind whips through her hair and the sounds of Trini’s pure, joyous laughter mixes with the chaos of Jason’s screams and Tommy, Billy, and Zack’s exhilarated cheering.

With one hand gripping the lap bar and the other still entwined with Trini’s, Kimberly opens her eyes and the adrenaline kicks in. With each winding twist and every sharp, sloping hill her body comes alive and soon enough her screams turn to laughter, albeit with several colorful obscenities thrown in for good measure.

A powerful, 4G downward helix spiral towards the end of the ride forces Kimberly’s eyes shut from the pressure and by the time she opens them again the cart is pulling up to the station.

Kimberly’s heart hammers away in her chest and she feels like she’s having an out of body experience as she leaps out of the ride to go down to the photograph section. She feels her legs taking her down the stairs, but none of it registers in her mind. She stares at the monitors blankly as her friends all point at their picture from the ride, but it isn’t until Trini snakes her arm around Kimberly’s waist does her vision come into focus.

“You look absolutely terrified.”

Kimberly blinks a few times before gaping in horror at the most disgusting facial expression she’s ever made in the history of her life and she has a sudden urge to burn the photo booth down to the ground.

Trini pulls away and fishes out her wallet. “I’m gonna get it.”

“What?! No!” Kimberly shouts with alarm. “There’s no way in hell I’m letting you buy this photo!”

“Why?” Trini chuckles as the worker manning the booth awaits her payment. “I think you look kinda cute.”

A blush spreads across her cheeks and Kimberly grumbles weakly, “I look like a freaking troll and you know it.”

“Yeah, but you’re my adorable troll.”

“YAUCKH!” Zack makes a loud gagging noise and coughs, “Sorry, sorry - I think I just threw up a little bit thanks to you both. Either get a room or hurry up because we have more rides to hit up today.”

Trini punches him in the shoulder as she accepts the bag with the purchased photo from the worker. Her hand finds Kimberly’s and their fingers weave together comfortably as the group leaves the ride’s exit.

It’s almost like a surreal dream to Kimberly. Joking so freely with her friends on a perfect summer day with her girlfriend right beside her. Who could’ve imagined? Certainly not her. No, never in a million years could she have thought it to be feasible, yet here they are defying all odds and expectations. She’s floating on cloud nine, and even the simple comfort of holding Trini’s hand and for once not feeling judged by those around her is all it takes to make her heart do backflips.

All she knows is that she’s never felt this happy before, with another person or even herself, and that peace with her own self-worth makes a world of difference.

“So where to next?” Billy inquires as they pass by empty food vendor carts. His eyes scan the unfolded map in his hands as he narrowly dodges other guests at the park. “I personally recommend the haunted maze and while I know it’s not Halloween yet, I’ve heard good things about this attraction.”

“That sounds pretty rad, I’m down,” Tommy chimes in before taking a long sip of water from her giant neon green souvenir cup.

They all nod in agreement and start to head towards the back of the park. Along the way, Zack buys a disappointingly small cup of Dippin’ Dots Rocky Road ice cream, much to Trini’s amusement. They bicker over the usefulness of having ice cream in tiny dot form, but Trini comes out victorious simply because of the overhyped, gimmicky nature of the dessert’s presentation.

Zack laughs and cracks a joke that Trini is so against Dippin’ Dots because they’re just shaped like a bunch of balls. She responds with a swift punch to his arm with such force that he ends up accidentally fumbling his cup and the contents all splatter to the floor, melting nearly instantaneously from the heat.

In spite of their conversation, Trini treats him to another cup, but this time Cookies ‘n Cream because it’s the “superior flavor.”

The gang passes through the obligatory carnival section of the park, complete with overpriced games like ring toss, balloon and darts, and the milk bottles.

Kimberly spots a massive tiger plushie with fuzzy pastel fur the color of pink cotton candy and she thinks to herself how adorable it looks. Although it’s no saber-toothed tiger, it’s a darn close match to being a blend of both her and Trini, at least metaphorically speaking, so it would look perfect in her room. However, she knows these games are rigged beyond belief, so only a sucker would waste money on them.

But then Trini’s hand leaves her own and Kimberly chokes down a laugh as the tiny girl approaches the ring toss booth, her gaze locked on the giant pink tiger, clearly having taken notice of Kimberly’s interest in the prize.

“How many for the giant tiger?”

The bored attendant at the booth glances up at the toy in question, his face bereft of any joy or amusement due to how few people visit the carnival area, and he shrugs.

“Just one ring, kid.”

Trini’s eyes narrow, possibly from the audacity of his words or the challenge presented in front of her, and she slaps down a five dollar bill. The guy hands her a basket of old, metal rings and returns to his seat to observe from the comfort of his rickety wooden chair.

“Go crazy.”

The other Rangers gather behind her and watch as she starts chucking the rings into the mass of bottles. One by one, they clink and clatter as they hit the necks and ricochet to the ground. With furrowed brow and clenched jaw, Trini throws ring after ring, assuming that at least one has to make it around one of the seemingly easy targets, but to her dismay not a single ring aims true by the time her hand scrapes the bottom of the basket.

“C’mon Trini,” Kimberly chuckles as she wraps her around the frustrated girl’s shoulders, “you don’t need to win me anything, really.”

But Trini isn’t having any of that.

She fishes out another five from her pocket and slams it on the counter, her eyes burning with determination. The guy scoffs and pulls out another pre-loaded basket, placing it down in front of her silently. Trini picks up a ring from the fresh set of ammunition and Kimberly backs up to give her her space.

Even though the game is ridiculous and clearly nothing will come of it, Kimberly just can’t help it when her lips tug up into a fond smile. She’s never had anyone try and win her something before, at least not without her subtle prompting, and especially not with such passionate vigor. Though Trini dislikes being called cute - she argues that “cool” and “badass” are her only applicable descriptors - the tiny crinkle on her forehead and the way her tongue sticks out just a tiny bit from concentration makes Kimberly stand firm in her belief that Trini is quite possibly the cutest person on the planet.

“Ugh, what the hell man!” Trini watches angrily as another ring clatters to the ground pitifully.

The last metal ring mocks her from its resting place, all alone in the barren basket. She side-eyes the worker as he sits in his chair, a smirk painted across his features as he takes some twisted satisfaction in her failure. “This game isn’t for everyone, little girl.”

“No, this game is _rigged_ ,” Trini bites back.

He shrugs once again. “I didn’t make the game, I just man the booth, and if it seems impossible to you, that’s your problem not--”

_Clink!_

The last metal ring twirls precariously around the neck of one of the many bottles before sinking securely onto it. The man nearly gets whiplash from doing a double take before both he and Trini turn to look at the lucky thrower.

With crossed arms and her head tilted at an angle, Kimberly flashes the rude worker an aggressively sarcastic smile.

“Looks like you owe us a pink tiger, jackass.”

All the Rangers behind her are stunned into silence, their eyes bulging and mouths agape in perfect “O” shapes from witnessing such a glorious shut down. After another beat of silence, they simultaneously burst into raucous cheers and victorious laughter so loud that other guests at the amusement park stop and stare to see what the commotion is all about.

“Ohhh snap!” Zack doubles over and slaps his knees in amusement, his chest heaving in and out as he tries to catch his breath in between wheezing laughter.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Here you go.” The worker unhooks the supports that are keeping the gigantic plushie on display and gruffly hands it over into Kimberly’s arms.

It’s even larger up close and as they all turn around to leave the booth, Kimberly struggles to hang on to it with one arm as she flips the guy off with her other hand, drawing more laughter from her gang of misfits.

Small children point and stare as they pass by the group, wide-eyed and envious of Kimberly’s newfound possession. She grins to herself because it’s definitely one of the finest moments in her life, given that the game really is so difficult to actually win, but to succeed while in the presence of that dickhead of a worker? It made it just _that_ much more priceless.

Which is why Kimberly turns and shoves the massive pink tiger into Trini’s arms, who let’s out a little _oof_ upon impact.

She wraps her arms around the plushie and pokes her head out by the neck of the stuffed animal in order to see where she’s going. “You’re giving it to me?”

“Of course.” Kimberly smiles and wraps her arm around Trini’s shoulders, pulling the girl in close and planting a soft kiss on her cheek. “What, you thought I was going to keep it for myself?”

“Well it is pink…”

“Yeah, well you’re my girlfriend,” Kimberly states like it’s a no-brainer, “and you’re the only prize I need in my life. I mean, metaphorically speaking because people aren’t prizes to be won but-- okay whatever, you get what I’m saying.”

Trini’s lips twitch - her eyes grow watery and her brow upturns - but then she hastily buries her face deep into the stuffed animal before leaning gently into Kimberly’s embrace. She sniffles a bit before talking, her voice muffled in the fur. “You’re so lame.”

Kimberly pulls her in tight and whispers jokingly. “Don’t lie - you know you love me like that.”

Trini’s head turns ever so slightly and she catches Kimberly’s gaze. Her eyes twinkle in the sunlight and she gulps visibly, her lips parted as if ready to utter the three words that they know is reflected in both their hearts. That unspoken feeling that vibrates through every fiber of their being, whether they’re next to each other or miles apart, and reminds them how much brighter their life is now that they’ve found one another.

“Damn Trini, that thing is practically taller than you.”

Tommy’s teasing observation cuts through the air and though Kimberly has long since gotten past her differences with the Green Ranger, all she wants to do right now is strangle her for ruining the moment. The other Rangers laugh because really, the stuffed animal actually _is_ almost as tall as Trini. The tiger’s hind legs dangle around her kneecaps and it almost looks like it’s walking on its own.

Kimberly grins because it’s an adorable sight and though she’s still a little annoyed at Tommy’s obscenely oblivious, untimely nature, she also knows that the look she exchanged with Trini spoke volumes and that’s good enough for her.

“Yeah,” Zack chimes in, “any larger and the tiger would be walking Trini.”

“Shut up!”

“Guys, have you seen Trini anywhere? I can’t seem to find her.”

“Billy, not you too!”

 

* * *

 

Kimberly loves training days alone with Trini. Okay fine, she loves spending _any_ kind of time alone with Trini, but training days are especially enjoyable because of the powerful bond that stems from a shared experience unlike any other.

Anybody can go to the gym and exercise.

Only Power Rangers can go to the Command Center.

Their relationship transcends your everyday average one thanks to them both being Rangers. They understand what the other goes through on a daily basis and they rigorously fight side by side, ready to lay their life on the line for the city and one another. There’s no need for lies or secrets, no poorly-crafted reasons on why they need to mysteriously leave at the drop of a dime whenever monsters threaten the city. It’s a beautiful relationship that’s heightened by a remarkably unique circumstance.

So on the days that Jason doesn’t call for group training, Kimberly shoots Trini a brief text.

_The pit?_

And the other girl’s answer is always the same.

_b there in 10_

Sometimes Kimberly likes to shop. Sometimes she likes to watch movies. Sometimes she likes to beat the living shit out of artificial training dummies designed after creatures born from the darkest corners of the universe.

Hey, to each their own.

“Alpha said he updated the system with some new enemies,” Trini says as she brushes sand and debris from her arms after having smashed through the standard Putties. “Wanna give ‘em a go?”

Grabbing her water bottle off a nearby boulder, Kimberly takes a long deep gulp, her hand wiping across her mouth afterwards. “Sure. I’m getting tired of the same old things.”

“Hey uh, system! Give us the new stuff!” Trini stares up to the ceiling as if the cavernous walls could hear her. Not a single sound answers her back and the two of them stand quietly in the room wondering whether it worked or not, but after another minute or so the rocky outcrops shift and crumble away until a few stones roll out and plop to the ground.

Oblong in shape and with an uneven surface, the stones measure roughly 4 feet in height, but they’re much taller than they are wide and oddly resemble an egg.

“Sooo we’re fighting chickens?” Kimberly snorts loudly and looks around the room like it’s a joke.

Trini frowns and her head tilts to the side. “This can’t be right. Maybe I didn’t say the command correctly, I’ll just--”

The eggs begin to shake mid-sentence as tiny fissures appear, slowly splintering across the surface like breaking glass. Crackling noises ripple through the air before hideous grey beaks violently poke out like zombies rising from the grave. Gross, inhuman screeches echo through the cavern and the girls immediately flinch, their hands shooting up to cover their ears.

“Trini, what are these?!” Kimberly shouts above the piercing racket.

They watch in horror as giant, anthropomorphic birds the size of a full-grown adult burst out of the rocky eggs. Dark, onyx black feathers cover the entirety of their bodies save for the deep indigo chestplate and protective leg bracers.

But they don’t have time to observe beyond that, as one of the monsters throws open its winged arms and in a flurry of feathers and dirt, rushes blindingly fast at Trini. She throws her arms up to form an “X” across her face just in time as the bird collides with her body with reckless abandon, sending her flying through the air and slamming into the unforgiving rocky wall.

The wind whooshes out of her chest upon impact and she slides to the ground, groaning in pain. “Okay this is not what I asked for.”

Another beast throws its head back, letting loose a shrill squawk of a battlecry, before hurtling towards Kimberly at breakneck speeds. She barely somersaults to the side in time but not without getting nicked in the arm by the bird’s sharp, clawed hands. Wincing in pain, she remains in a crouched position and surveys her shoulder.

Shallow claw marks decorate her skin drawing small beads of blood from the new open wounds. Faster, stronger, and armed to the teeth with clawed hands and talon-like feet?

“These things mean business,” voices Kimberly with a serious tone. “We’ve got to take them down before we end up looking like a cat’s leftovers.”

“I hear ya on that, princess.” Trini pushes off the ground and leaps back up into a defensive position.

With her legs spread into a solid stance and her arms up, she goads one of the birds by flicking her hand in a _come here_ motion. It flails its arms in a feverish frenzy accompanied by more high-pitched screeching. Rearing up, the bird bum-rushes her with surprising agility, but Trini’s ready this time.

She swings her leg around and sidesteps at just the right time. Whipping her hands out, she snatches the lunging bird by one of its winged arms and pivots hard, using its own momentum against it, before yanking the beast into an over the shoulder throw in one fluid motion. Upon slamming into the ground, the bird lets out one more pitiful squawk before exploding in a cloud of sand and feathers.

“Now that’s how it’s done,” Trini grins wickedly, her words exhaling in breathy bursts from the excitement. “These things aren’t that--”

_BAM!_

One of the surviving birds came barreling straight towards Trini and tackled her to the ground. Clawing away blindly like a rabid animal, the monster screeches away not caring about how much damage it’s inflicting. Pinned beneath its weight, Trini can only wriggle helplessly and cover her face with her arms as the sharp claws swipe on and on in a merciless onslaught.

“Trini!”

Kimberly cries out in surprise but she recovers quickly and launches herself towards the enemy target. She manages to knock the bird away, but there’s blood splatters all over the ground with gashes riddling Trini’s forearms and Kimberly becomes absolutely livid.

Simulation or not, these things are going to die a very painful, painful death.

“Tenga Warriors.” A robotic, synthesized voice booms overhead. “Large bird combatants. Level 5 classification. Salient characteristics include: limited flight, impressive speeds, and sharp claws.”

Staring up to the ceiling with a furrowed brow, Kimberly throws her arms up in wild disbelief. “ _Now,_ you tell us what they are?”

“Heads up!” Trini’s command gives Kimberly enough time to leap out of the way of one of the birds, but the Tenga don’t play fair. Caught in a pincer attack, despite dodging the first bird Kimberly fails to notice its companion rapidly approach from the other side and gets tossed into an adjacent rock like nothing more than a rag doll. She can already feel the bruises forming all over her body, but she’s suffered worse; nothing tops getting stabbed completely through her torso, so compared to that, this is mere child’s play.

Her legs push her back up from the ground and Kimberly’s already back into a powerful stance  reflecting hours of arduous practice and meticulous training. “Bring it on, bird bitches.”

“Really, Kim?” Trini’s at her side, dried blood caked along her arms but with a smirk on her face nonetheless. “God, if you fight as well as you insult, then we’re totally doomed.”

“Well I’ll just have to prove you wrong.”

Kimberly casts her a fiendish smile and in perfect synchronization, the two of them whip their heads around to focus their attention on the Tenga before launching a simultaneous assault.

Instead of splitting up and taking on the enemies on a one-to-one fashion, they instead travel as a pair towards their first target with lightning quick speed. Without even uttering a word, Trini dives down low and sweeps her leg in a wide arc just as Kimberly jumps high to deliver a swift roundhouse kick.

The bird’s beady eyes barely have time to register both oncoming attacks before it’s ultimately smashed by both all at once. Its body soars through the air from the solid impact of the combined kicks and upon colliding with a rocky outcrop, the Tenga explodes in a violent display of feathers and sand.

Kimberly and Trini set their sights on the last target and the enemy unleashes its trademark screech in response. This time, being more proactive than its expired counterparts, the Tenga kicks its legs like a trampling wildebeest as it makes a beeline towards them all the while flapping its winged arms in some sort of intimidating display.

Trini decides to meet it halfway and as she runs towards the beast she slides down low on the dirt before kicking upwards towards the bird’s torso and launching it into the air where it promptly meets the base of Kimberly’s heel, who’s following up with a devastating axe kick from above.

Like its fellow simulations, the Tenga hits the ground and bursts into nothingness, leaving the girls alone in The Pit with nothing but the sounds of their heavy breathing.

Kimberly sucks in mouthfuls of air, but it does little to alleviate the burning in her lungs. She hasn’t had such a good workout in a long time and on the one hand she feels absolutely refreshed, but on the flipside to that, she can feel her muscles all over screaming in protest. Her head turns to see how Trini’s faring, but instead she’s met with the sight of her in a battle-ready stance looking more invigorated than ever.

“I’m still not convinced that you’re any good at fighting,” Trini throws out her statement in a deep, sultry tone. “You’ll just have to show me.”

Though battered and bruised, there’s a fire in Trini’s eyes and despite the aching in Kimberly’s bones and the pulsing pain radiating from the scratches on her shoulder, there’s no way she can decline this invitation.

“You’re on.”

No sooner do the words leave Kimberly’s mouth than Trini goes on the offensive. She closes the gap between them in the blink of an eye and, wasting no time at all, opens up with a feint attack by jabbing lightly with her left before swinging in hard with a right hook.

Kimberly leans back just far enough to narrowly dodge both punches and responds by planting her foot back to wind up into a quick uppercut, but Trini’s reaction time is on par with her own. The smaller girl shuffles backwards a few steps to avoid the blow and takes that time to cautiously gauge her movements.

Truth be told, Kimberly’s entirely certain that Trini is the better fighter when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, but that doesn’t mean she’ll concede a spar solely because she knows what the outcome will be ninety percent of the time.

No, she _loves_ fighting against Trini.

There’s a certain thrill when facing off against her girlfriend because of her unpredictable fighting style and relentless tenacity, and it’s something Kimberly seldom witnesses in the other Rangers.

Jason and Billy are calm and calculated, but they fall victim to patterns and habits, which makes it easy to foresee their next attack. Zack, though a respectable fighter in his own right, is mostly unrefined in his technique and can’t hold a candle to Trini’s sheer natural talent and finely-tuned abilities.

The closest in comparison would be Tommy who’s had a hard time staying in one school due to fights and bullying. She’s lead a life similar to Trini’s and was forced to learn to fend for herself, but ultimately Trini’s dedication is what puts her above her fellow Green Ranger.

Kimberly’s eyelids flutter as her eyes track Trini’s motions. They’re circling one another, like two animals coiled and ready to pounce, but neither one is making a move. They feel each other out and test the waters, occasionally making a miniscule flinch to see if the other reacts, but it’s Trini who’s the first to break the spell.

She dashes towards Kimberly with a hunched posture and for once she thinks she finally sees through her tactics.

 _She’s going to do a low kick_ , Kimberly thinks rapidly, _it’s her favorite move, I just know it._

Gambling on her instincts, as soon as Trini reaches her, Kimberly leaps forward off the ground into an impressive front flip and sure enough dodges right over Trini, who had slid below in a sweeping fashion.

When Kimberly lands on the ground, she turns around and throws a blind elbow attack in hopes of catching Trini off guard, who should be standing up any second now. But as her elbow swings around, she feels firm hands grasp her arm and all that runs through Kimberly’s mind is _oh shit--_

And then her world flips violently upside down as she’s thrown over Trini’s shoulder and hurled straight into the ground with a resounding _thud_ upon hitting the cold floor. Kimberly gets the wind knocked out of her and her vision is nothing but an explosion of stars and splotches, but she’s denied any reprieve as she feels the sudden added weight of Trini on top of her and straddling her waist.

Trini slams her hands down on both of Kimberly’s wrists, effectively pinning her down in place, and a smug grin spreads across her face as she towers over her triumphantly. Her dark brown hair cascades down like a wavy veil and Kimberly wonders how she still looks so good even though they went through hell and back. Loose strands brush against her skin and Kimberly’s heart starts pounding like it’s ready to leap out of her chest.

Trini’s smirk just grows wider because she knows damn well what she’s doing.

“Looks like I win.”

Kimberly can’t find the words in her mind to form a proper comeback, but she notices the soft look in Trini’s eyes and instead takes full advantage of the fact that she let her guard down in a moment of clouded judgment.

Throwing as much of her weight as she could, in one sudden movement she manages to roll them both over to the side and Trini comes crashing down in an unstable heap, allowing Kimberly to turn the tables in her favor. With her now in the same position that Trini once held mere moments before, Kimberly revels the thoroughly shocked look in her eyes and the faint flush of her cheeks.

It’s not often that she gets the upper hand on the smaller girl, but when she does, she never likes to waste it.

Kimberly dives in hungrily and kisses Trini hard, their teeth clumsily clacking together at first before they both recover to pick up the pace. She already had a hard time breathing before, having been so winded from the back-to-back fights, but now more than ever did Kimberly feel so goddamn breathless.

Trini’s hands wrestle free from her grasp and wrap around Kimberly’s back, pulling her in close before scraping down the length of her shoulder blades, drawing out a deep moan from the depths of Kimberly’s throat. Even with her thin tank top, it’s a sharp enough pain that lets her know she’s going to have scratches from more than just the Tenga in the morning, but none of that even matters because the pain blends perfectly with the blazing wildfire roaring beneath her skin and it’s eating her alive.

She’s suffocating in a Trini-induced haze and she only wants to dive deeper.

Beyond the outer layer of her blasé persona, past the rugged, no-nonsense, tough-girl act, there’s the Trini that cares fiercely for others, who attentively ensures the happiness of everyone no matter who they are - the one who was brave enough to take a chance on them, on _her_.

And those sentiments alone are enough to make her heartbeat skyrocket to an inhuman level, like a beast thrashing away trying to claw its way out of a flimsy cage.

Kimberly rocks her hips against Trini’s waist, the movement fueling the heat building down below at a thundering pace that leaves her desperately wanting more. Trini’s lips leave her own, and for a moment Kimberly whimpers softly in protest, not wanting it to stop, but then the smaller girl yanks her down even closer and bites down hard on her neck right beneath her jaw instantly earning a pleasant gasp of surprise. The harsh bite is immediately followed by Trini’s soft lips leaving a trail of tender kisses going down Kimberly’s neck, occasionally sucking gently in different spots to elicit husky moans until she reaches her collarbone and pauses in place.

“God, I’m so lucky.” Trini’s voice exhales in raspy breaths, each word tickling Kimberly’s skin and sends shivers down her spine.

And Kimberly wants to respond, she really, _really_ does, but before she can even fathom the words needed to string a coherent sentence together, Trini’s hands come back around and roam all over the landscape of her skin beneath her tank top. They’re everywhere and nowhere all at once. They’re palming at Kimberly’s breasts and grazing over her nipples rendering her utterly useless. Her head dips down as she leans her forehead against the ground, panting heavily, barely able to hold herself up.

Between the flurry of kisses peppering the sensitive parts of her neck and the hands roaming her torso, Kimberly can barely even concentrate. Her body is humming all over and she knows she’s just moments from becoming undone.

All it would take is just a couple more seconds, but Trini suddenly hisses audibly and her movements slow down. Kimberly notices the wounds she sustained from before had somewhat reopened so she starts to pull back, not wanting to push her any further, but Trini wraps her arms around her waist and grits her teeth.

“I’m fine.”

“But Trini--”

“I said I’m _fine.”_

As if to make a point, Trini raises her thigh up between Kimberly’s legs and the sudden deliberate contact causes Kimberly to buck her hips and intake a sharp breath before crying out softly.

“Okay, I get it you-ahh!”

The words die in Kimberly’s throat and turn into a series of low, desperate moans. Her hips continue to rock against Trini’s body, and the heat that was growing from before now feels like a wild, unbearable pressure craving release. If they weren’t so dirty from training before, she knows a simple direct touch would yield instant results, but that can’t be helped and in all honesty, rolling her hips against Trini works just as well.

Some say that getting off easy can be embarrassing, but Kimberly thinks it can be a useful skill in certain situations.

The tension in her body has her brain cranked on overdrive and Kimberly’s losing sight of the room around her. Her eyes are screwed shut as Trini’s lips find her neck and she’s biting again and Kimberly doesn’t know how much more she can take.

Her velvety tongue darts out and runs along Kimberly’s skin before nibbling again at the tender areas of her neck. As if her mind can only focus on one thing at a time, Kimberlys thoughts shift abruptly away as she becomes acutely aware of the hands that are cupping her breasts and rubbing her nipples simultaneously and her body absolutely comes alive from her electric touch.

And then her brain tries to register every sensation all at once and she knows she’s done for. It’s too much to handle. The intense heat building between her legs pushes past a certain threshold and Kimberly can just _feel_ her body giving out.

Her legs start tingling. Her hearing dampens. Moans escape her throat with increasingly rapid frequency. Her body feels so tightly wound and a muted mantra of _yes’s_ tumble from her lips.

Kimberly rocks her hips down hard against Trini’s thigh and combined with Trini’s hands and the soft lips on her neck, the pressure all at once releases in a giant, heated eruption. It crashes over her and sends waves upon waves of heated pleasure through her entire body until she feels like she’s drowning in the best way possible. She grabs hold of Trini tightly as if she’d fly away if she dare let go, but Trini keeps her tethered to this world with a firm, secure grasp on her hips.

Blood rushes to her head and she can literally feel her heart pounding in her ear like a drum. She continues to rock against Trini to ride it out for as long as she can, her body continuing to feel the rhythmic aftershocks from the intense release.

Kimberly’s body shudders as she comes down, her muscles feeling loose and relaxed, and she flops to the ground on her back to lie beside Trini.

Their chests heave up and down from the physical exertion and they look downright exhausted, but their faces are glowing with happiness and when Kimberly turns to look at Trini, the latter flashes her a lazy smile.

“Wow.”

Kimberly exhales deeply and nods in response. “Wow is right.”

“So you…?”

“Yes,” Kimberly interjects, “I did.”

Trini smirks. “Nice.”

“Oh shush you.” Kimberly laughs and slaps her playfully on the shoulder.

“Pshh, whatever,” Trini scoffs, “you know you love me.”

It’s a teasing phrase that they use casually on the daily, but this time Kimberly’s gaze softens and as she stares into Trini’s eyes, she feels everything click into place because life is finally going the way she’s always imagined.

“I love you Trini.”

Trini leans in close and brushes her lips against her’s.

“I love you too.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Come shout with me on Tumblr about all your Trimberly feels! [Taikoturtle](http://taikoturtle.tumblr.com/)


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